Reviews

"This much-needed book fills a long-neglected gap in Amish studies. The field has long been dominated by men, most of whom have paid scant attention to women's historical experiences or gender dynamics and how these have shaped Amish communities. Bringing Amish women to life in nuanced and meaningful ways, Johnson-Weiner's book is the culmination of 35 years of fieldwork in five states."

— Kimberly D. Schmidt, Eastern Mennonite University, coeditor of Strangers at Home: Amish and Mennonite Women in History

"At last. In this ground-breaking volume, Karen Johnson-Weiner presents diverse narratives of Amish women from the European homeland to present-day North America. She draws on nearly four decades of conscientious research and participant observation to show how Amish women have influenced and continue to influence their society in myriad ways."

— Joshua R. Brown, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, coeditor of Pennsylvania Germans: An Interpretive Encyclopedia

"Karen Johnson-Weiner brings thirty-five years of keen observation to this nuanced and fine-grained portrait of Amish women. With her in-depth analysis, these women emerge as individuals and as practitioners of womanhood, in both cases central players in far-flung and diverse Amish communities navigating a changing world."

— M. J. Heisey, State University of New York at Potsdam, author of Peace and Persistence: Tracing the Brethren in Christ Peace Witness Through Three Generations

"Karen Johnson-Weiner combines the informed gaze of scholarship with the warm storytelling of friendship to craft an intimate portrait of Amish women. Rooted in three decades of research and conversation, this book elucidates constructions of gender, modes of patriarchy, and women's agency in a separatist religious community. Johnson-Weiner's unprecedented study will inform Amish scholarship for decades to come."

— Valerie Weaver-Zercher, author of Thrill of the Chaste: The Allure of Amish Romance Novels

"Johnson-Weiner writes with clarity and a deep knowledge gained from more than three decades of fieldwork in Amish communities. The book brims with the voices of Amish women themselves—an immense achievement that speaks to a lifetime of cultivating trust and building relationships with a diverse group of women. A comprehensive, nuanced, and compelling read."

— David McConnell, College of Wooster, coauthor of Nature and the Environment in Amish Life

"A wonderfully researched and written study from an exceptional scholar of Amish life and culture. Johnson-Weiner's decades of relating to Amish women and studying their roles in Amish society have given her a profound grasp of how these roles are changing in response to broader changes in Amish culture. Highly recommended."

— Richard A. Stevick, Messiah University, author of Growing Up Amish: The Rumspringa Years